Scorpion Tank
The M808 Main Battle Tank, colloquially known as the Scorpion Tank was a tank utilized by the UNSC. Tens of thousands were produced since 2502 until its retirement in 2575. Technology and Characteristics Designed for the low intensity combat that the Insurrection posed, in the role of Main Battle Tank the Scorpion was a excellent combat vehicle. It had a ceramic-titanium composite armor that could withstand certain levels of anti-tank weaponry and impervious to small arms fire. The Scorpion was powered by a hydrogen powerpack turbine which enabled it a maximum of 99 kilometers an hour although typically the tank could only reach 64 kilometers an hour. The hydrogen turbine also ensured that the scorpion could run in almost any environment as long as water was available. The choice of armament was questionable given that 90mm was very underpowered but the Scorpion's designers claimed that it was more than adequate for fighting the insurgency that the UEG faced at the time. Additionally, the 90mm could be easily exchanged for a 105mm cannon and was commonly done during the war against the Covenant. Secondary armaments included two 12.7mm M247T's, one coaxial mounted and another operated by assistant; later in the Human-Covenant War, as the fighting reached Earth the secondary weaponry would vary from the antique but still utilized M2 Browning and replacement of the second machine gun with an enclosed weapon station. In 2530 there were some M808S tanks utilizing a better 120mm cannon but most were lost by later half of the war. A crew of one was the only individual necessary to operate the entire tank, with the gun utilizing an auto-loader. Infantry could sit on the tread enclosure and assist in protecting it from anti-tank personnel. After 50 years of service in 2553 and the war against the Covenant at an end, the UNSC wished to replace the venerable Scorpion, with the most likely candidate being the M850 Grizzly. The Human-Covenant War and following insurgency proved that the Scorpion Tank though effective, was not suitable for the combat conditions it now faced, its Ceramic-Titanium armor inadequate for plasma weaponry and the gun was only sufficient against the Wraith tanks. This action was approved, however the Grizzly never truly replace the Scorpion tank as a result of lower than expected production and the loss of key production facilities during the war. As a result, even in 2570, Scorpion Tanks accounted for 80% of the UNSC's main battle tank inventory. The emergence of post-war insurgency on Venezia and Exon II would damage the Scorpion Tanks' legacy in what was an otherwise well liked combat vehicle that served humanity through the turbulent Insurrection and war against the Covenant. History Post-War Pains In the post-Covenant war conflicts, the M808 continued to perform well against the lesser Covenant Separatists, who were still for the most part only utilizing Wraith Tanks. Most M808 variants at this point were given an coating that shielded the Scorpion from minor plasma damage. For many of the uprisings in the colonies, Scorpion tanks were able to deal with the resistance that the rebels put up. In the case of Exon however, their 203mm field guns and later Apocalypse tanks began to show the flaws of the Scorpion design. The 150mm equipped M808D fared much better against the Exon forces but it too was under armored to deal with this. A series of production, supply and availability issues coupled with multiple minor conflicts meant that the UNSC was never fully able to phase out the Scorpion in favor of the Grizzly which was approved for in 2554. When the UCR became an enemy of the UNSC, their FV-M61 tanks were generally able to be defeated by the Scorpion while taking its blows. Tensions between the UEG and UCR would once again hamper the phase out of Scorpion tanks. Only in 2575 when the Kuda MBT was introduced into service did the Scorpion truly begun to phase out of UNSC inventory. When the combined NUNS-TRM-Exon force attacked Earth, the planet was lucky to have the bulk of Kuda tanks stationed there. There the Kuda easily dealt with the Exon tanks but enemy propaganda would focus solely on the obsolete Scorpions. As of 2582 Scorpion tanks make up less than 5% of the UNSC tank inventory, most retained for training purposes. The vast majority of have been disposed of, sold to foreign countries or converted from tank use. Armament (M808C) *M512 90mm Smoothbore Cannon or M512A 105mm Smoothbore Cannon *Two M247T; One Coaxial to the cannon, one operated by passenger Variants *M808A - Prototype, 10 built *M808B - Main production vehicle in from 2502 - 2544. Continued manufacture despite introduction of the M808 due to wartime manufacturing. Conversion kits were issued to bring M808B to M808C. *M808C - Main production variant from 2544 - 2553 *M808S - A major variant of the M808B that was very well regarded by crews due to improved armor, especially on the turret that also had a minor benefit of reduced vehicle profile. The M808S utilized an 120mm L/50 cannon. Unfortunately, despite the M808S's success, far fewer were produced than the B or C variant and most inventories were depleted by 2550. Attempts to produce more were unsuccessful due to the destruction of several key production facilities. *M808D - Main production variant after 2556, the M808D took after the M808S but armed with an 150mm cannon instead. Production was slow and the M808C was still more common until 2565. **M808D VISMOD - Scorpions retained for training tankers, these units are modified to appear as FV-M61 MBT's and other vehicles. *M808E - Mine clearing vehicles, turret has been removed in favor of line charges and a bulldozer blade/roller or flail. The E variant incorporates GPR to detect mine and IED detection.